30 April 2013

My first, my oldest...my talkative, mischievous little girl is now an energetic two year-old. How ironic that just a few hours ago, this tiny little person gave me the biggest scare of my life. Quick story:

While shopping at Nordstom Alamoana today, Kiana and I were trying to comfort a fussy Evan who woke up in the stroller, but apparently still tired. It literally took us 3 seconds to get him to knock out, and as soon as we turned around, "Umm...where's Mahie?" We calmly & patiently checked behind & near us....and then the aisles....and then we split up....and then I started to jog, run & yell MAHIE! like a crazy person. That was the longest I ever 'lost' her in a store. I frantically asked the nearest worker for help & everyone was on the hunt. Scary thoughts started to crowd my mind, and then I turned around to what seemed like a muted room. I just stood there, frozen. Absolutely no sound, as I started to feel myself believing that she was gone!

"Heavenly Father, please help me find her. I know she's here."

My lips started to tremble. I thought about my husband in Samoa. I thought about my quick desperate prayer. I thought about the exit doors and if my little one had been lured out. I thought about all those unfortunate missing person stories made into LMN movies. One by one, each worker came up empty but still searched. I turned to see Kiana's stroller appearing among the racks of clothes and slowly approached her because my emotions were about to explode. And they just about did.......little barefoot Mahie was holding her Aunty's hand!!!! I ran, scooped her up, bawled my eyes out, told her to always stay with Mommy and hugged her some more. I think she knew what was going on because all she said was, "Sorry!". Here I am the adult suppose to be watching HER, and she apologizes!

As soon as we entered Nordstrom, she kept asking me to see the sunglasses. "Glasses Momma, please. Glasses please!" To which I kept pushing off because I was always caught up doing something else. Well, I guess Mahie's patience ran out, and she set out by herself. Kiana had found her in front of a big mirror, trying on sunglasses. Just a few feet away from our original spot. Totally my fault Mahie!

By the way, looking back, the Nordstrom employees reacted very quickly in helping me to find Mahie. They even put their customers on hold and would yell out to each other what she was wearing along with her name.

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Mahie Kauipuaonalani Fonofili Aspinall was due May 7th, 2011. But since I had developed gestational diabetes my last few weeks, they induced me around 38 weeks and out came our first baby at 10:50a.m. on April, 30th, 2011. 8 pounds, 11oz, 21inches long. Everyone at Castle Hospital went crazy about how much hair she had. She is named after my little and only sister and her Samoan great grandmother. Mahie in Hawaiian means, "Delightful".

For the first few days, she had to be kept in the Nursery on oxygen, as some DG babies have a hard time breathing. We then had to return home to TVA without her, which totally devastated me. However, by the end of that week, she was ours and we were up all night with no sleep. She was 100% formula fed, and loved her bottle and pacifier.

I always hoped for a boy to be the oldest, but I am so glad I was blessed with Mahie. I know she is going to become that awesome big sister that will gladly watch over her younger siblings. And furthermore, she is the oldest grandchild of the Kaahanui cousins. Which is a given, that she gets away with anything from her Grandpa. (Good, that way HE can pay for her wedding.)

But let's cut to the chase. This little girl drives me nuts! She is so independent and smart, that usually she gets into trouble a lot. All in innocence though. But boy do I chase her, threaten her with BIG eyes, scold her and when she REALLY pushes it......scare her with "Look roaches, ewww!" We have a special bond. I'm serious. Sometimes I wonder how this little girls knows all of my tricks!! She is also a big goofball and makes me laugh as much as I want to pull my hair out at times.

I hope to always share a special bond with my Mahie. I will always see her as not just my little baby, but the greatest teacher I could ever learn from.

I can have conversations now with my daughter. I can braid her hair into a thick long braid, almost to her waist. I can tell her to watch her baby brother, and she curls up next to him and they watch ipad movies together. I can point to almost anything/anyone and she will name it, even in her secret language. I can give her one cookie and she will ask to instead hold the entire packet. I can say "one" and she will continue to "Den". I can drive down the road and hear her shout "TEMPLE!" followed by singing, "I am a child of God....and heeee sed me heeeeeere!". I can come home hating my haircut and she will run her fingers through and say, "Ooooooh Preeeetty Momma."

I can say, "I Love you Mahie. Do you know Mommy loves you?"And she knows, "Yes Momma. I yuv you too. And Daddy in Amoa. And Eban seeping. And Papa. And Nana. And Aunty Heeery. And Uncle. And baby Isaakt. Ummmm, all pau. Have juice now, peeeeeeeeeeease?!"

07 April 2013

We've been back in Hawaii for almost a week now. This mini-vacay feels like Samoa was all a dream. For reals. It was very easy for James, Mahie and I to fall back into our usual "Hawaii Habits". James with his movies, me with my shopping, and Mahie reuniting with all her old toys and especially her "Papa".

When you live in a place for soo long, sometimes you can get bored with it. That's how I was. Until we moved to Apia, CULTURE SHOCK......and now being back.....totally love/MISS my Hawaii nei! Not that I hate Samoa, because I don't think I've given it enough time to grow on me, but nothing will ever compare to home.

Our flight back (again on Air Pacific, eeh!), was packed and hot. Although Mahie is still "free", we decided as soon as the place took off, that we NEED to buy her her own seat. She is just way too long and heavy to fall asleep on us, plus with Evan's chubbiness too. I still think that Air Pacific has cool flight attendants, as one offered me two free seats at the back for Evan and I. (Earlier I decided to just stand at the back the entire flight because it seemed better than being squished with a fussy baby.) And thankfully, James and I got to sleep, hands free alongside our babies.

We froze when we got in. I liked it though. Better than being sweaty and hot.

Habits I didn't know I picked up from Samoa:
-Saw the front door open and sprinted to close it yelling, "the mosquitoes!!!" (but then, YAY, no Mozzy's)
-A witto fly came inside and I quickly backhanded it against the wall. LOL. Flies are wayyy quicker in Samoa, like I use a fly spray because I have to sprint after them. So I didn't even expect to get it, haha. I was both proud and grossed out.
-Thinking James was driving on the wrong side of the road. Also, being VERY attentive of EVERY car on the road. Drivers in Samoa are crazy. Now that we're back, I'm like, "Can this car get out of the way?!" or "James, just pass them who cares". hahaha
-And the Kids: they HATE their carseats. Screamed all the way home. You don't use them in Samoa. For REAL. As long as they're in the backseat, the Samoan police don't care. And even if they did, you'd just pay them off with five tala. And at least I have my kids sitting with me in the back, because you'd freak seeing people drive with newborns on their laps. *But before we GO THERE, remember people drive like that here in Laie too!

Sadly, James was only here a week. I need to rush through this part, before I start getting all emotional because I freekin' miss him. James got to see all the movies he missed out on in Samoa. Plus it gave him a nice break before heading back to working 24/7. We kept commenting on the unlimited luxuries we used to take for granted here: free wi-fi, HD cable, healthy food varieties, the weather! The kids went everywhere with us, until our last night, we went on a date! Whaaaaat? JUST US! Honestly, it felt weird. Like that, "I'm missing/forgot something" feeling. It took me a while to stop worrying about our kids and then also worrying if my parents were able to handle them incase they cried. We were suppose to head out to Waikiki, but only made it to Kaneohe for dinner. It really was nice being alone together. I think that's what probably made it harder for me to part with James. But anyways, before I get choked up, we got a lot of shopping done (not just for me!), we celebrated easter together, hung out with our kids, and took Evan to his check up together.

Easter 2013

Isaac, Mahie & Evan

So the kids and I are here in civilization for a month and James is back to his roots where he belongs, haha, jk. I have the worst cold ever, so meeting up with friends is put on hold because I'm so tired. But hey, I'm back with no car & a ghetto "go-phone" from Target.......holllllaaaaa!

We’ve been a husband and wife “eternal” couple since June 24, 2010 and have been inseparable ever since. Our home is filled with both New Zealand and Hawaii pride, and together we’ve created a diverse family of Samoan, Hawaiian and Navajo babies! Some days our personalities are a match made in heaven & some days we are total opinionated opposites, there is never a dull moment with us. Our blog is to update those near and far on what we’re up to: the highs, lows and everything in-between. Ashlyn blogs it & James approves it (sometimes)